and it's this kind of, you know, "don't slow me down with the facts" impatience and energy that we get in paul's letters. >> paul's very first letter-- the earliest single writing that we have in the newestament-- is i thessalonians, and already in i thessalonians paul is having to console them when people are starting to die within the congregation and the kingdom hasn't arrived yet. >> narrator: paul believed the earthly world order was about to change, that time was running out, and the end was at hand. >> clearly the... the message about the... the coming end time was the part that would have been threatening to a roman official, and would have been threatening to any native population that had vested some authority in roman officialdom. >> narrator: paul attacked those who preferred peace and security to the coming kingdom of god. >> ( dramatized ): when they say, "there is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them. >> scholars have wondered who this people is who are saying "peace and security." some interpreters think that it's the first lapsed christians,